Video games and the Solo Play Spiral: isolation versus socialisation

Jeu vidéo et Spirale du Solo Play: isolement versus socialisation

Julian Alvarez ()
Additional contact information
Julian Alvarez: GERIICO - Groupe d'Études et de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Information et COmmunication - ULR 4073 - Université de Lille, Ludoscience - Ludoscience : Studying Video Games, INSPE LHdF - Institut national supérieur du professorat et de l'éducation - Académie de Lille - Hauts-de-France - Université de Lille

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: Video games can be presented as a community leisure activity (Besombes, 2023). E-sports or massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) such as Word of Warcraft (WoW) and their collective challenges are examples of this. However, when we look closely at gaming practices, solo play largely dominates social play, as shown by data published by SELL (Syndicat des Éditeurs de Logiciels de Loisirs) between 2020 and 2024. This data indicates that 98% played alone, compared to 59% who played in ‘social' mode, either online or locally. It should be noted that playing online does not guarantee a social dimension. Playing Fortnite or Call of Duty online to face opponents can be done in a team, but also alone and silently, as if playing against bots. The difference is that online, you will face more human adversaries... https://blogs.alternatives-economiques.fr/reseauinnovation/2025/10/09/jeu-video-et-spirale-du-solo-play-isolement-versus-socialisation

Keywords: Gaming practices; Homeostasis; Solo play; Social play; Video games; Digital leisure; Ethology; Pratiques ludiques; Homéostasie; Éthologie; Loisirs numériques; Jeux vidéo (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-10-09
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in 2025

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05321779

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().